Sunday, December 16, 2007

baseball, steroids...not important

I really don't give a crap about ball players doping. That's cause I stopped caring about baseball and sports in general a few years ago. I mean, I'll still watch the beavs or the ducks even on tv occasionally, but ultimately, its not important. Back when I did care about sports, I always noticed a hollow feeling that came after my team won. Say it was some championship or something, it was a feeling of so what? is it really worth all the trouble to stand on top for a year, then do it all over again? Sports goes on and on and this year's champion might be next year's failure. people come and go and nothing really changes. And for every winner, there are countless losers. I don't like that. I didn't like investing so much emotion into something that wasn't even real. Its not like they're playing for land or freedom or to stop terrorism.

So MLB, dope it up, don't dope, I don't give a shit. You bore me and I look forward to the day when society focuses its attention and resources on things that really matter. like providing real security for everyone so that everyone can pursue their highest aspirations, so that everyone can fulfill their potential, not just an elite few.

I should add that as a youth I played a lot of sports. Basketball, football, ultimate frisbee, golf, mostly basketball and outdoor sports like skateboarding, snowboarding, rock climbing, bicycling and now surfing. Doing so gave me countless hours of enjoyment and satisfaction. Perhaps, its similar to the reason why I don't play with legos anymore either. You grow out of things, even though you loved them. Sports certainly have a place in society. I just think that like most things, pro sports is out of balance, relative to other more pressing issues.

I used to love watching the Olympics, but even that is kind of a joke. If your country lies on the equator and most of the people struggle to survive, is there really any chance a gold medal ski jumper will come out of your ranks? Its the rich countries telling the poor countries be like us! Compete with us! We're number 1! yay! give me a break. On the other hand, I know when a Kenyan wins a gold medal in the marathon or something its a huge deal. Just as when Korea co-hosted the World Cup the whole country was united in the streets, nothing to sneeze at.

I guess I shouldn't try to generalize. I just don't see why we need to be spending taxpayer dollars on an investigation into steroids and baseball when the Constitution is being shredded by the current executive.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

i couldn't agree with you more, tim. there was a time when i felt that watching a sporting event (especially basketball) wasn't a waste of time, but now...even if it isn't convoluted with all the garbage of players acting stupid on and off the courts, and what not, it just doesn't hold the same feelings of elation when i see my team win the finals. i suppose a great part of that is that the time when winning a championship actually meant something has long passed away, ever since everything become commercial and crass. perhaps that's why it's so hard for people to believe in a team - take the red socks for example. their winning the pennant back in '04 was a monumental experience since their clubhouse was considered "cursed" or what not...people got caught up in the story; they felt like there was something worth believing there. but what happened the following year? the team that broke a 86 year drought disband? what kind of nonsense is that? all because of money? so...even though the socks won again this past year, no one really gave a shit because it just doesn't mean anything anymore. sports has just become too blase imho.

nolocontendere said...

Like you guys, I yawn at sports. Things changed for me about 15 years ago, and I haven't given a hoot since. So many things are just so much more important, sports seem like a colossal waste of time and more like a manipulated distraction.

Nina said...

i'm hoping it's about people seeing how ridiculous competition is. to "win" gives you temporary satisfaction.

a spirit of cooperation is needed in the sports arena. sports in and of themselves aren't the problem--it's this over-inflated RRRRRRR MY TEAM IS THE BEST mentality. it's the obsession--it taps into that survivalist part of our humanness--a part of us that really needs to be tamed for once and for all.

even though i will watch some championship game on occasion, i always feel sadness for the losing team. who likes to lose? who likes to work hard for something only to not land on the spot you were seeking?

life doesn't have to be this way...not if we make room for everyone, embrace everyone equally. sports can become something that people do simply because they love that particular activity. to win, to lose, no longer matters. it's playing the game and how you play it that will become important.

for starters, maybe removing the owners would help create such an environment.

crallspace said...

Good post.

Ain't it though? Pro sports, as much of a time and money waster they are, DO keep a lot of otherwise potentially rogue people occupied.

Taxpayer $$ is being spent on this MLB shit? That is insane!

tkn said...

I assumed the investigation has cost a few mil at least.